POLITICAL ACTIVITY POLICY

Eversource and its subsidiaries are regulated companies. Therefore, the formulation and enactment of public policy can have a profound effect on Eversource and its stakeholders.

As such, Eversource believes it has a responsibility to its shareholders, customers, employees and the communities we serve (stakeholders) to participate in the political process where appropriate and legally permissible.

We do not use corporate funds to contribute to political parties or candidates. We do participate in a number of ways, including making contributions to various organizations, lobbying elected and appointed officials, through membership in trade associations and related organizations, and by administering political action committees.

Eversource has decision-making, governance and oversight processes in place to ensure such contributions and expenditures are legally permissible and in the best interests of Eversource and its stakeholders.

Corporate and Employee Political Participation – Overview

Eversource does not contribute corporate funds to federal, state or local political candidates or political parties. We do, from time to time, make contributions to organizations in support of initiatives that promote the interests of Eversource and its stakeholders.

All contribution decisions are based on advancing these interests, and not on the personal preferences of our executives or any other persons or interests. Each of the states in which we operate has different laws, rules and regulations governing political expenditures.

Any expenditures made by Eversource are made in accordance with and subject to all limitations and conditions of those laws, rules and regulations. We also support the individual rights of Eversource employees to participate in the political process; however, we do not reimburse employees for any political contributions.

Industry Groups, Trade Associations and Related Organizations

In certain circumstances where permitted by law and with the approval of our Executive Vice President & General Counsel or Executive Vice President-Customer & Corporate Relations (Authorized Officers), Eversource may use corporate funds for the payment of dues and/or other expenditures to tax exempt organizations that may engage in political activities or organizations and trade associations that may use a portion of such dues and expenditures for political and lobbying activities.

Corporate Political Participation – Process and Criteria

Any request for a contribution or other expenditure to be made by Eversource to a political organization or membership in a trade association, including any expenditure for a non-candidate state or local ballot initiative, is required to be submitted to the Authorized Officers for review and approval.

The Authorized Officers will review the request to confirm that the proposed contribution or expenditure is in the best interests of Eversource and its stakeholders and that any requested contribution or expenditure complies with all applicable laws, rules and regulations.

The Authorized Officers will cause Eversource to keep accurate records of such contributions or expenditures and take actions to ensure that all required disclosures to government entities are complete and accurate.

Lobbying Reports

Eversource Energy and its lobbyists file reports with the U.S. Congress on a regular basis disclosing information about their lobbying activities. These reports are available for review on the websites of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, as noted below.

Eversource maintains and files Lobbying Disclosure Act Registration and Reports (Form LD-2) with the U.S. Congress. These reports detail the particular bills and issues on which individual lobbyists engaged, as well as the total lobbying expenses incurred.

Eversource and its registered federal lobbyists also file semi-annual reports detailing, among other things, disbursements and personal and/or direct contributions to federal candidates. These forms (LD-203) may be found on the U.S. Senate website.

Eversource also files lobbyist reports in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, and any lobbyists that the Company works with in New Hampshire also file individual reports that identify their clients. Links to the reports are available below.

Reports to the Eversource Board of Trustees

The Authorized Officers shall report on political activities and expenditures at least annually to the Eversource Corporate Governance Committee.

A written report of dues paid and expenditures made to political organizations, trade associations and the portion of such dues paid and expenditures made to politically active organizations whose purpose is to promote social welfare that relate to political activities, together with a copy of the Company’s filed lobbyists reports, shall be provided to the Committee and to the full Board of Trustees, and a summary of the report disclosing all such dues paid and expenditures made shall be posted on the Company’s website along with this policy.

Eversource Energy 2017 Political Activity Report

The following tables reflect political activity and contributions made by Eversource from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017:

Politically Related Organization Expenditures:

Democratic Governors Association - $100,000

Republican Governors Association - $100,000

Council of State Governments - $5,000

Utilities State Government Organization - $1,000

Trade Association Participation

Eversource is involved in the industry groups listed below. Listed below is the non-deductible portion of payments made to trade associations that were used for lobbying or other political activities:

Trade Association

Amount

American Gas Association

$24,994

Better Business Bureau

$21

Business Council of Fairfield

$2,500

Business and Industry Assn of New Hampshire

$4,788

Central Connecticut Chamber - Bristol

$44

Connecticut Business and Industry Association

$16,425

Edison Electric Institute

$140,719

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce

$1,003

Greater Norwalk Chamber of Commerce

$275

Marlborough Regional Chamber of Commerce

$94

Metro Hartford Alliance

$4,125

Metrowest Chamber of Commerce

$110

New England Council

$660

Northwest Chamber of Commerce

$83

Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce

$88

Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce

$296

The Economic Development Council of Western Mass.

$1,832

Waterbury Chamber of Commerce

$159

Political Action Committees

Eversource encourages its employees to be active members of their communities. Along with participation in civic, charitable and volunteer activities, this includes participation in the political process. Eligible employees may make voluntary contributions to Eversource’s Political Action Committees (EversourcePAC and EversourcePAC-NH).

EversourcePAC is a Federal political action committee and is administered by the Federal Legislative Affairs Department. EversourcePAC-NH is a state political action committee and is administered by the State Governmental Affairs Department. EversourcePAC and EversourcePAC-NH are each governed by a Steering Committee comprised of employees appointed from throughout the Company.

Contributions from EversourcePAC are approved by its Steering Committee and are publicly disclosed on the website of the Federal Election Commission.